Nigella Lawson has criticised the Crown Prosecution Service and called for judicial reform after she was "maliciously vilified without the right to respond" during the trial of her former assistants.

After the assistants, Elisabetta and Francesca Grillo, were found not guilty of defrauding Charles Saatchi out of £685,000 they spent on company credit cards issued in the art collector's name, Miss Lawson issued a statement saying she was "disappointed but unsurprised" by the verdict.

She claimed her two days in the witness box at Isleworth Crown Court had been "deeply disturbing", adding: "I did my civic duty, only to be maliciously vilified without the right to respond."

She hoped her experience would "highlight" the need for judicial reform to "give witnesses some rights to rebut false claims made against them".

During cross-examination, Miss Lawson had earlier told a defence barrister: "If you want to put me on trial, put me on trial. But I cannot think that it's right to have me here as a witness for the Crown and treat me like this."

Here is Miss Lawson's statement in full:

"I am disappointed but unsurprised by this verdict.

"Over the three-week trial the jury was faced with a ridiculous sideshow of false allegations about drug use which made focus on the actual criminal trial impossible.

"My experience as a witness was deeply disturbing. When false claims about habitual drug use were introduced I did everything possible to ensure the CPS was aware of the sustained background campaign deliberately designed to destroy my reputation.

"During the trial not one witness claimed to see me take drugs and not one of my three assistants was asked about these claims by the defence, despite being cross-examined at length. I did my civic duty, only to be maliciously vilified without the right to respond. I can only hope that my experience will highlight the need for a reform that will give witnesses some rights to rebut false claims made against them.

"Even more harrowing was seeing my children subjected to extreme allegations in court without any real protection or representation. For this I cannot forgive the court process.

"When I gave evidence I spoke of my regret at having to talk about the circumstances of the end of my marriage and also voiced concern about a campaign to circulate false allegations carried out over the course of this summer, then circulated as witness statements by a publicist, and eventually added to the defence of this prosecution in November. That concern remains.

"While this has been a difficult and upsetting time for both me and my family I would like to thank my friends, family and all those who have expressed support throughout this ordeal."